From 1 Week to 1 Month

Peru is a massive country. To do it justice, you need a lot of time. From the capital of Lima to the ancient city of Cusco to the jungles of the Amazon to the beach towns to the ruins of the Sacred Valley, Peru presents you with a lot of options.

I spent 2.5 weeks there and absolutely loved it. But even at a fast pace, I still felt like I barely saw anything (even though I crammed a lot of activities into my trip).

So, in such a large nation, how do you break up a trip? How do you pick what to see and do? What kind of itinerary do you make?

Well, of course, a lot of that has to do with what you are going for: the Amazon, the hiking, the history, or the food?

Most first-time visitors to Peru do the southern route: Lima, Arequipa, Lake Titicaca, and Cusco/Sacred Valley. This route has the most historic sites and the biggest attractions. But there’s also the Amazon, the beach towns, and smaller ruins in the north.

To give you some ideas on potential routes, here are my suggested itineraries for visiting Peru:

Peru Itinerary: One Week

I would only go to Peru for one week if you’re just planning to hike the Inca Trail. If that’s the case, I’d fly to Cusco, spend two days acclimatizing (and seeing the sights I recommend below), and then do the hike. After that, you can spend a couple days relaxing in Cusco before flying home.

Peru Itinerary: Two Weeks

Two weeks allows you to get a good (albeit slightly rushed) feel of the country. You’ll need to move quickly (flying and overnight buses will be a must), and you won’t get a lot of down time, but it’s a doable itinerary.

Days 1–3: Lima
Fly into Lima (if you’re coming from the United States, you’ll land in the morning, so you’ll get a full day) and spend your first day sightseeing and eating as much as possible. The capital is a gigantic city home to over 11 million people. Most visitors concentrate on the neighborhoods of Miraflores, Downtown, and Barranco, as those are where the majority of the attractions are and because they are the safest districts.

My suggested things to do in Lima are as follows:

Free walking tour – I love free walking tours, as they are a great way to get to know a new place and its history, to get your bearings, and to connect with a local guide who can share their insider tips and info. Lima has a lot of free walking tour companies, but two I recommend are Milky Way and Free Walking Tours Peru.

Airbnb Experiences – Airbnb has a lot of incredible…